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DAIRY FARMING AND CATTLE REARING ACTIVITIES TO SERVE AS A BIG PUSH IN INCREASING FARMERS' INCOME
ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT PACKAGE OFFERS NEAR 30000 CR FOR ANIMAL HUSBANDRY SECTOR
The Nationwide Lockdown to curb the Corona virus spread has affected every sector across the country and one of the sectors is the dairy sector. Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced a special economic and comprehensive package of 20 lakh crore equivalent to 10 percent of India’s GDP on 12th May 2020. He gave a clarion call for self reliant India movement.
Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Smt Nirmala Sitaraman announced various measures of Atmanirbhar Bharat, to strengthen infrastructure, logistics, capacity building and administrative reforms for Agriculture and fisheries. The minister announced the National Animal Disease control programme worth Rs 13343 crore for 100% vaccination of cattle, buffalo,sheep , goat and pigs totalling 53 crore animals and Animal husbandry infrastructure Development fund of Rs. 15000 Crore. It aims to support private investment of Dairy processing, value addition and cattle feed infrastructure. Incentives will be given for establishing plants for support of niche products.
In the COVID crisis, Dairy companies are foreseeing a sudden drop of the demand of milk due to various factors including migrants leaving in the cities. It leaves no hope for the small dairy farmers to survive the crisis.
Kongu region is known for the cattle rearing activities and dairy farming . While giving the feedback to FOB Coimbatore, A. G. Venkatesh from Coimbatore said that during the COVID crisis people started taking home made food and dairy products like milk, curd, Ghee etc are essential in their daily diet. Sh. Venkatesh manages a Goshala of retired cows. He welcomed the government's Animal husbandary schemes announced by finance minister and expects the central government should further encourage the dairy farming activities.
Harivardhanan, from Kalipalayam on the outskirts of Coimbatore, has a collection of Indian cows. He looks after them as a family . His wife Kausalya helps him to make Ghee and Paneer every day. The kids take part in this work. All the cows are native breeds in Harivardhanan’s farm. There are many farmers who look after cattle breeding as an allied activity in addition to farming. This will help the farmers to increase their income and sustain even during a drought .
Govardhanan while speaking to FoB, Coimbatore said that our Puranas and epics taught us to consider cows as a wealth and therefore dairy farming will definitely yield better income to farmers. He added good start ups in dairy farming and cattle rearing should be taken up as the union government is ably supporting them through various schemes. He was thankful for the Animal disease control programme and infrastructure fund . He welcomed this announcement as part of AtmaNirbhar Abhiyan and said this will help people to venture into self reliant activities like dairy farming.
Rajesh Govindarajulu said that there is a need to spread awareness about using indigenous products . Especially dairy products like desi ghee and paneer are healthy foods and encouraging them will actually help to increase the income of our farmers . Doubling the income of farmers by 2022 requires a multi pronged approach and the union government's Atmanirbhar Bharat package of Animal disease control programme and Rs 15000 crore fund for animal husbandry infrastructure development are undoubtedly a big leap towards attaining that mission.
A G Venkatesh says Government should further encourage dairy farming activities
Harivardhanan says in addition to farming cattle breeding will help increase the income
Rajesh Govindarajulu says Atmanirbhar announcements will boost a
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